Sept. 29, 2011
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -
The Samford football team practiced for about an hour in shorts and helmets Thursday afternoon at Seibert Stadium. The workout was the final full practice in preparation for Saturday's home game against Gardner-Webb.
Samford enters the game with a record of 1-2 overall after falling at then eighth-ranked Wofford, 38-23, last weekend.
The Bulldogs entered the season with a young defense, losing seven of their 11 starters from last season. Samford head coach Pat Sullivan said the unit has made progress through the first three games of the season, but they still have a lot of work to do.
"The thing that has probably hurt us a little is we haven't had much continuity," Sullivan said. "We've gotten some different people hurt. We lost Jeremy Towns early and he was going to be a big part of our defense.
"I think Nick Williams has stepped his game up and done a good job," Sullivan said. "Alex Davis and Austin Hayes were both playing well until they got hurt. Corey White is having a solid year. But these are seniors and juniors. Some of the younger guys are not as consistent as we need to be, but hopefully we'll get that with a few more reps."
Sullivan said he felt his team has had a solid week of practice this week. He said his players know how tough of a challenge they face in Saturday's game.
"I thought we had a good week of practice," Sullivan said. "The concentration was good. I think our guys realize from watching film what we are about to get into and the talented football team that Gardner-Webb has. It will take our best effort to have a shot to win it."
Saturday's game against Gardner-Webb is scheduled for a 2 p.m. kickoff from Seibert Stadium. The game can be heard live on the Samford Sports Network, including Samford's on-campus station, WVSU-FM 91.1, or worldwide on the internet at www.samford.edu/wvsu.
Fans can also watch the game online via live streaming on the Bulldog Big Screen at www.samfordsports.com. GameTracker will also be available at www.samfordsports.com.
